Autumn Love

I think this is my favorite season of the year! I plan on making as many pumpkin things as I can this autumn... it just doesn't get old. :)

But first, a little recap via Instagram dump to finish up the summer activities and bring us up to this past weekend:

{I got a cute little zebra mug - the only problem is that the zebra likes to swim in my coffee!}

{Sir Archibald and Lady Hildegard of Drumclog Moss - Our Kingdom names and outfits for Jr. Camp}

{The green shutter redo - a new headboard!}

{An evening walk on the dike}

{A little desk remodel} 

{More shutter renovation} 

{Cool early mornings with my coffee, my Bible, and my journal <3>

{We took a little road trip to Texas and back, stopping in Davenport, IA for the weekend and ending with a couple days at my grandmother's house in KS} 

{Sunset in... Kansas, I think?}

{The French Fry Feed - who would say no to free fried food?} 

 {The first apple pie of the season}

 {These days are perfect for long walks in any of the beautiful parks of Grand Forks}

{Cooler mornings mean steamier coffee}

{Working on some baby shower gifts} 

{Last Saturday = Perfect Saturday}

And that, my dear blog readers who are still hanging around, is some of what I have been up to lately. Or at least, these are the things that I have been photographing! I suppose I should be more diligent in taking pictures and updating all my friends and family on what's going on around here. But we're doing well and just enjoying these beautiful autumn days! I know that winter will be here soon, and though I'm not ready for snow right this minute, I am looking forward to its arrival. I'm anticipating this winter and especially this Christmas - my first one that I'll get to spend with Ethan, since we were in different states last year. It's going to be a special time. :) 

I'm loving my life these days!

I love being married, and not just for the sake of marriage, but because it means I get to spend every day with Ethan.

I love having my own little place - my own little kitchen to cook up tasty things and my own little apartment to decorate and rearrange to my heart's content. The hardest thing to do thus far? Plan a menu in advance, make a grocery list, and stick to them both. :o) Budgeting 101, here I come!

I love being in North Dakota. I really mean it! North Dakota is so beautiful, and I don't think I would have been able to quite see its beauty if I had moved here before Botswana. But its flatness reminds me of Africa, and its trees remind me on Pennsylvania. Also, we are in the middle of winter. Snow nearly every week makes this winter-loving girl quite happy. I have a sweet husband who often cleans off my car, so maybe that makes the whole thing more tolerable for me. :o) But really, frost-etched trees outlined against a gray sky, large snowflakes gently falling, and then the sun comes out and it looks like millions of diamonds laying in the field. Gorgeous!

I love my new job. I've started working the church office here, which is good for several reasons. One, it gives me something to do and a way to be involved in my new church. Two, the timing was good as the other secretary has been having some health problems, so it helps her relax her schedule. Three, I love being a secretary. :o)

I love being busy in my new life. And busy we have been! We hit the ground running after returning from our honeymoon, and it almost surprised me that yesterday was our two-month anniversary. It doesn't seem possible that eight Sundays have passed since we've been married. But you know what they say, time flies when you're having fun! :o)

I waited way too long to make Turkish coffee, but now that I've 'remembered',
I'm sure I'll be making it a lot...

Winter is here

Our days are steadily getting cooler as we move into the dry, winter season. The nights are downright chilly, making me reach for a sweater or jacket when the sun goes down. The sun still shines hot and bright each day, however, so sweating is not completely done with for the year.

I've always like the thought of cozying up for winter... bunkering down with warm blankets, hot drinks, and lots of good reading material. This year is no exception, although it is promising to be a busy winter with a couple groups scheduled to come. (Well, one here right now and another scheduled within a few weeks.)

It makes me so happy each evening as I head to my room for the night. I can smell the wood smoke heavy on the air, feel the breeze coming in my open window, and don't feel bad lighting some candles for ambiance. These are the evenings of fuzzy socks and blankets, sipping hot chocolate (made up my own mix with some spicy cayenne and ginger!), and settling in with a good book.

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I wrote the above several weeks ago just as the weather was starting to turn cooler, and I think I can safely say that we are in the middle of winter now! The group that was here has gone, and we are getting ready for that second group within a week's time. The wood smoke heavy on the air isn't just coming from neighbors, but now from our own chimney as we light a fire nearly every evening to take the chill out of the air. If you've read here any length of time, then you've heard me wax eloquent before on African houses and their construction - the fact that they have very little insulation makes them like little ovens in the summer and little coolers in the winter.

As much as I am enjoying the cooler weather (it suits me quite fine!), I do feel sorry for those around me that are staying in their little shacks of mud or tin, many sleeping right on concrete floor with only a blanket for cover. I can't imagine how bone-chilling the winter must be for them. Sickness runs rampant during these months, as many succumb to the 'flu' (the catch-all name for a myriad of ailments), coughing, sneezing, and generally just wanting to stay curled up at home rather than be out and about.

For us, we're rather snug in our little house here, burning our fire every evening, piling our beds with blankets and drinking lots and lots of tea and coffee. I still crack my window nearly every evening though... I just love the fresh, cool air - how refreshing!

Just Today

It's Tuesday, a nondescript day towards the middle of a week that is just busy with everyday tasks.

I'm sitting here in my gray hoodie, my favorite one, enjoying the chance to wear it yet again. The weather has been growing cooler in the evenings - good sleeping weather, you might call it. Today I pulled out my duvet filler to insert into the cover, turning it from a 'sheet' to a warmer blanket. The insert was a little dusty from storage, so I washed it, dried it, fluffed it, sprayed it with lavender, then wrestled with it for fifteen minutes trying to insert it into the cover. (Have you ever done that before? Such a frustrating task...) Then I realized that it wasn't the queen-sized insert for my bed, but the king-sized insert for my parent's bed. Oops. We'll try again tomorrow.

I love this time of year in Africa. Warm days, cool nights, good excuses to burn candles and bake things, but warm enough that you can still wear flip-flops. Such a lovely season!

We've had guests here the past few weeks (has it been a month already?), but they are leaving on Thursday. We're looking forward (well, at least I am ;) to a girls' group coming the end of June. They don't know what they're in for!

I'm taking each day one day at a time, just enjoying these moments here. I really don't know how much longer I will have here in this country, although we hope (and pray!) to have a more definitive answer within the next couple weeks.

I've learned a lot about myself these past few months. I notice that as much as I like being flexible and spur-of-the-moment, as much as I can be "it's all about the journey, not the destination", I really don't like it when I feel unprepared. I can take anything on, as long as I know that I have prepared sufficiently for any crisis. Ha! Even when we go away for just a night, I've learned there are certain things that should always be packed - a flashlight, something to eat, a full water bottle, instant coffee, extra contact solution, and bug spray. With those necessities safely stowed in my backpack, I'm ready for anything. But not knowing HOW to prepare... well, it makes me a little nervous. It's hard to mentally plan and prepare when I don't know how much longer I will be living here, or if I will be back in the States looking for work.

The Lord has been teaching me much about trust, leaning on Him, waiting, and expectations. As always, His lessons are always just what I need right where I am at. :) Maybe I will write more about that later.

And now I'm off to collate and staple some more Bible studies and write some emails, as soon as I make a nice cup of spicy hot chocolate. Happy Tuesday!

The Ending of a Day

Every sunset I see in Africa takes my breath away. There really is very little hope in trying to describe one, but if you’ve seen one, you know what I’m talking about.

Sunsets are not some quiet affair, where the sun merely slips beyond the horizon and day is done. No, in Africa, the sun goes to bed with great fanfare, being sure that everyone sees him going. It’s almost like a little child being sent to bed while the party is just getting started. He wants to be sure that everyone in the room knows he is leaving and that he is not happy about it.

But perhaps the sun is not some petulant child, but rather a wise musician who knows the best piece is the finale and makes sure that while some may have slept through the intermediate parts, no one misses the ending.

The sky arranges itself in a positive myriad of layers. You can visibly mark each individual color, almost like sections of cotton candy. Fiery red gives way to brilliant orange, merging into pinks and yellows, fading into purples and periwinkles, robin’s egg blue and teal, spanning up over your head into the perfect shade of deep water blue and into the opposite horizon as stillest, darkest blue.

The sun itself becomes a fiery ball of molten lead, shimmering before your very eyes. The whole landscape changes, becoming mere stick figures of black. The thorn trees remind me of the skeleton of last year’s maple leaf when you hold it up to the sun – every branch and twig clearly shadowed against the ignited backdrop.

You can mark the progress as the sun sinks lower and lower beyond the rim of the earth. Then, almost with an audible sigh, it slips over the edge, his farewell final but leaving behind brilliance and glow for several minutes until that also expires. The sky darkens, the deepest, stillest blue taking over all, and soon the pinpoints of stars twinkle down on you.

As much as one may try to describe the sunset, it is only fitting it with genericness to liken it to such tangible things – a child, a cotton candy stick, a leaf. One can never fully describe the awe that accompanies such a sight, the majesty and overwhelming sense of smallness that comes because of such a scene.

God truly is the best artist of all.

My Closest Neighbor

My nearest neighbors are a masked weaver bird couple... they live in the thorn tree right outside my window. They can be pretty noisy about 5 o'clock in the morning, but I've learned to sleep through their singing/screeching. :) 

Here is Mr. Weaver sitting in a 'ring' of woven grass. This is the beginning of yet another nest he is building for his sweetheart. These male birds work tirelessly, building a nest every day until their mate approves the nest for egg-laying. I've seen this particular couple bird build a couple dozen nests until one was finally approved. 

Here's a video I took at the very beginning of the nest-building process, quite a while ago.

Isn't that amazing? I could just watch him for hours, the way he chooses his materials and builds his nest, one little piece at a time. 

Here are all the nests that are currently hanging on the tree. See the nest in the middle of the group, with that little tuft of grayish-white sticking out of the bottom? That is the one they are actually using. The others are ones that were rejected. Every day the male weaver comes and 'fixes' portions of their new nest, tearing out the old, putting in new pieces. The stuff sticking out of the bottom is the downy feathers the female lined the nest with before laying her eggs.

And here are some of the eggshells. I just think they are beautiful! There was an eggshell on the ground each morning for five or six days in a row. I was trying to collect them all, but Firestorm beat me to it on some days. Apparently, he thinks eggshells taste good. :)

This picture doesn't really show you how small the eggs are. The whole eggshell is probably about the size of my pinky from the first knuckle to the tip, less than inch long. 

I'm looking forward to the baby weavers getting some flying lessons in a few weeks. :)

Merry Christmas!

Today, on Christmas Eve, I ate a whole bowl of fresh-picked, juicy and chilled mango. It was delicious and before you tell me that I'm rubbing it in (if you happen to love fresh-picked mango), then I'll just tell you it's my consolation prize for spending the third Christmas in a row in such close proximity to the Kalahari Desert. :) So there.

I also spent the majority of my day in the kitchen, happily wrapped up in all sorts of little cooking projects. It made me very happy, because that is one of my happiest places to be. I started off by making some fresh ricotta for our lasagna and a big pot of marinara sauce to simmer away while the ricotta drained.

Mom picked a bucket of beans and a bucket of spinach, another perk of having Christmas in the middle of summer. So we had fresh-picked beans with our lasagna and garlic bread for lunch, then a chocolate cake, chocolate ice cream, and whipped cream (which was actually a failed attempt) made up our dessert. All in all, a lovely culinary day, and I'm already anticipating what tomorrow's menu will be.

Yesterday, we baked up the second half of our sugar cookie dough. For the first half, which we baked the week before last, we iced them with red cinnamon and green mint icing... very original, I know. For this half, I decided to go with some more sophisticated toppings.

So at the far left, we have the more traditional almond icing with simple sprinkles. Center back was coconut, topped with coconut; far right was root beer, with a small sprinkle of cocoa for identification. Front center was a more rustic 'pressed' cookie (rather than the rolled and cut-out version) topped with Nutella and almond. The root beer was hands-down the favorite of the day, surprisingly enough. I, however, was merely experimenting and wasn't sure how they would turn out, so I only made six of that kind. Oops... next time! (Also, we sort of ration out our root beer extract around here, so I don't know that we want to use it all on cookie icing!)

Tomorrow will be a somewhat normal Sunday for us, although we are only having one of our two usual services. I do know we will be eating more mangoes. I can't tell you how happy I am that they are back in season! Last year, when the season was in full swing and the price dropped dramatically, we would go buy a bag of mangoes nearly every day. I plan on continuing that tradition. Right now, they are still being imported from South Africa, but it won't be long until there are Francistown grown ones for sale!

Merry Christmas... and may good holiday food be in your near future!

Gray days

Gray days and cooler weather make me inordinately happy.

It also makes it feel so much more like Christmas time, although I must say - this being my third Christmas here, it doesn't feel nearly as strange as it did that first year. New traditions have a way of forming themselves... and I'm still with some of my favorite people on earth.

Cooler weather also makes it easier to cook and bake up a storm.

Every rainy day we try to bake something and make some type of soup. It's ingrained in my soul that December should be the month of warm, filling stews and comfort foods.

Gray, stormy days make all my dogs freak out... literally. Apparently none of them are keen on thunderstorms or lightning in the night.

Stormy days all week long make for a yard that never dries out, and a lot of muddy tracks that I've wiped up in the house. Someone needs to come train my dogs to wipe their own feet when they come in the door.

Stormy days all week long make for a lot of soggy towels and washcloths that pile up. Although it is clouding up and beginning to thunder now, I'm thankful for a couple hours of sunshine this morning to get a couple loads done.

Happy Friday to you all! Now, what should I bake tonight?

Home again...

...home again, jiggety jig. What continent am I on? What time zone am I in? What season is this, anyway?

Our crazy trip to the States was fabulous and crammed with about a year's worth of experiences in less than six weeks. I guess that's what you get. I do have to say that I had a whole list of restaurants and foods to try while I was back, and it was all sadly disappointing. Nothing tasted quite as good as I remembered it to be. :) Maybe it was the fact that I was sick more than half our trip; maybe it was just fond memories growing more pleasant with time.

One thing I know I did enjoy was SNOW. Yes, that's right... Pennsylvania had a record-breaking snowfall before October was even over. The only problem with it was that the heavy snow settling on trees still covered in leaves caused a lot of limbs breaking and power lines being knocked over. Thousands of people lost power, many for several days. We were without power at my brother's house for six days, so that was an exciting end to an eventful trip. I honestly didn't pray for all that damage and destruction, but it was a heartfelt wish of mine to see snow before settling in for another long summer. Guess I got my wish. :) I wasn't there to see it falling, but we flew in the next day and I think getting to see the arial view of snow patterned across houses and fields was just about as good. Next time I'll be a little more specific. :) PLUS... I got to wear my boots, a lot. I bought them at the end of a season a couple years ago and haven't really had a good chance to wear them until the last couple weeks.

It was wonderful to get caught up with family and friends... and I don't think it was as hard to say goodbye this time. I mean, goodbyes are always hard and just a part of life, but knowing what I was coming back to made this departure so much easier. Also, the uncertainty of my time here (given my current visa situation) causes me to want to make use of every moment I have here.

After another long trip (just over 51 hours from doorstep to doorstep, although that does include a few hours of resting at a guest house between long airplane ride and long car ride :), a dead car battery, trying to adjust to time changes and the sweltering heat, we finally arrived home. All our luggage arrived safely, our house was snug and secure, but to our dismay, we found one of the dogs ran away. This makes me very sad, but I'm still hopeful that she might come home. Poor Kiara, lost and alone. :(

Today the temperature was well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, so you could say that we have settled into summertime. It's hard to believe we were standing in snow exactly two weeks ago. :) The heat... it just gets to you. It really does take a few days to adjust to it, to learn how to pace yourself, remember to drink lots of water, try to stay in the shade.

We got our fridge and pantry stocked this morning and then cleaned house this morning from the layers of dust and armies of spiders that moved in while we were away. Now I'm getting caught up on emails, playing Christmas music, and trying to think happy, cool thoughts. :) Maybe a long, cold shower would be a good way to end this day!

I'm looking forward to the next couple weeks of trying to get caught up with my ladies. After the first week of December... who knows? Just taking it one day at a time, which is generally a good idea in this uncertain life anyway. :)

October on the Farm

Partway through a Midwest tour, and we stop off at McD's for free wifi... what a lovely invention. :) 
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This morning, I awoke in a familiar, sunlit room with grandparents below baking biscuits. An infamous “hey” yelled up the stairs signaled that breakfast was ready, and I came down rubbing sleep from my eyes to stare at a world gently laid with a layer of snow-like frost. Everything was sparkling in the morning sun, especially Grandpa’s eyes as he flirted with Grandma.

And this is what I miss the most when I am away, these two elders of the family, born in the country and Lord willing and the creek don’t rise, the country’s where they’ll die. These two who fell in love so many years ago, committed to each other and brought seven baby girls in the world. Now their family is spread out over the globe and I’ve lost track of the number, yet still these two flirt over the breakfast table with a “Are you looking for trouble?” and a “Well if so, I don’t have to look very far.”

These days here are spent in October bliss – picking pears and walnuts, canning the last produce and getting the garden ready for winter. Mornings snappy and frosty, afternoons warm and sun-filled, evenings full of the scent of burning leaves. I think this is my favorite time of year in Missouri.

We crowded thirty-five people in the house and around the table on Grandma’s birthday, which was the day I arrived. That wasn’t even half of the crew, but regular life interferes (and seeing how some of us are continents away), and I don’t think we would have had room for everyone should they have come. Thirty-five was stretching the seams, though it didn’t nearly bottom out the crockpot of pulled pork and the pans of dinner rolls. If there’s one thing we know how to do, it’s lots of food and lots of loud.


There’s something so calming about being here on the farm, even in all the busyness of the days. No internet, no cell reception, no connection with the outside world – these things can be annoying. Yet our days are full with tasks and talking, sharing memories and stocking the freezer. Somehow in the midst of all of this, I relax, burdens rolling off my mind and my world falling back into normalcy.

Mixed Up

Today is cold and windy and gray. My curtain seems to move by itself as the breeze gusts in around the edges of the window. Everything is overcast and everyone is moving a little slow. If I was not in Botswana and it was about twenty degrees colder, I would expect to see snow coming from the sky at any moment. We are all bundled up inside the house, and will soon be lighting a cheery fire in the living room. I made a delicious peppermint coffee creamer that tastes like a certain season, which brings me to the point of this post.

Where are the carolers? Where are the cookies? Where is the music? WHAT HAPPENED TO CHRISTMAS?

Oh, yes, it really is July, not December. Next year, I'm proposing we hold off on having Christmas when we are melting into a puddle of liquid and save it for a few months when the weather turns cool again. Right now, I just want to go bake a pumpkin pie and light a candle or four. I want to smell fresh pine and peppermint and go sledding. *sigh* I'm so confused... but I'm enjoying this cooler weather while it lasts. I know it will be gone all too soon!

Christmas at Our House

Christmas was a several day event for us...

Christmas for the four of us, spending time with some friends, an overnight guest, Skyping with family in the States, and getting ready for a visit from family from South Africa.

Peppermint Mocha Recreation

Someone's feeling festive...

I love listening to beginning readers reading the Word of God!

Today the SA Hammetts went back home, so we drove with them partway to the border and stopped to do some fun stuff on the way. Things got a little crazy in the backseat with Tanni Rachel. :) 

'Tis the Season...

Made a huge batch of sugar cookies... iced with lemon, mint, and cinnamon. 

...for making cookies in the 'cool' breeze of a fan.
...for playing Christmas music and chuckling every time someone sings "the weather outside is frightful."
...for drinking cinnamon coffee and eating a bowl of watermelon.
...for turning the air con down as low as it can go, and simmering a pot of cinnamon and lemon on the stove to create the right Christmas 'atmosphere.'

Stuck much?

Why, yes... it is rainy season here. Why do you ask?

Countdown: 9 Days

Yesterday, after a busy and productive morning and early afternoon, Sam and I headed for a small section of the Appalachian Trail that we've hiked several times - Bake Oven Knob. (Yeah, I've blogged about it before.) Though most of the leaves have just started changing around here, and the peak viewing season will be in a couple weeks, we won't be here then, and this was our last opportunity to go. The weather was gorgeous and I'm really glad we made the time to do it one last time...

Crazy week.

Started off with a good reminder in the form of my Sunday school kids' memory verse, "What manner of man is this that even the winds and the sea obey him?" What is there to fear when He is in control of all - even the winds, the sea, the animals, and the rocks obey Him. Shouldn't we be just as quick with our obedience?

Monday was the funeral for Bro. Purks. Many tears and much laughter. He was a servant of God who was funny, challenging, and will be sorely missed. I spent a couple days in MD with a friend, and we had a good time catching up, talking, and shopping. As an aside, the public library in Frederick, MD is the coolest library I have ever been to. I want to move to Frederick just so I can visit their library.

Back to work on Thursday and then an impromptu sleepover with my niece and nephew. We had hot dogs for supper, went out for ice cream, painted our toenails (not my nephew, obviously), played games, watched Winnie-the-Pooh, read stacks of books, and eventually they crashed in their sleeping bags on my floor. Grandma made waffles for breakfast, and then we worked on some 'crafts.'

Starbucks started making their Pumpkin Spice this week, which made me so very happy. In the winter, I feel like a kid in the candy store with all the incredible holiday flavors. Unfortunately, I missed all the Christmas flavors last year and will again this year, so I'm taking advantage of the beautiful Pumpkin Spice, even if I have to have it iced because it's still so hot out. :)

Today is another major push to get things cleaned out. I can't even believe how much we have already gone through and how much there is left to be done. We are now at the 5 week countdown, but there are some significant (time-consuming) events between now and then - another trip for my parents to take, Gospel meetings at LVBC, and a bunch of appointments to make and people to meet. I am caught between wanting the days to slow down so I can savor each moment, and wanting the days to hurry by so we can get to Africa already.

After getting rid of all my craft supplies a couple weeks ago, I felt the urge to do "something." So I pulled out what I had, and made a couple small things.

Not much... sewing a small zippered bag with three interior pockets, lining a cool box that I found (still don't know what to put in it), and getting a new journal ready.

From inside the journal:

"Triumph, O my faith!
All things are Christ's, and Christ is God's, and God, Christ, and all things are thine.
Time is His, and in it I have my numbered years;
The air is His, and in it I breathe;
The world, and on it I dwell;
Its fullness, and I am fed;
Grace is His, and in it I stand;
Faith, and by it I overcome the world;
Tribulations are from Him, and in them I glory;
Perfection is His, and towards it I press;
Death is His, and by it I arrive home;
Heaven is His, and there is my mansion;
Eternity is His, and there is my treasure and glory."
-James Meikle, Solitude Sweetened


From the front cover:

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes." -Marcel Proust

That is one of my all-time favorite quotes. Even though it seems like I am always skipping off to new landscapes, it really is true that changing your perspective on the current situation can be just as revealing as changing your location in life.

Summer Camp

Camp was everything I hoped it would be, meaning the messages were just what I needed to hear, everyone had a good time, the food was fabulous, and the campground absolutely beautiful. To top it all off, my team of The Climbers won the competition for the week. :)

But all good things must come to an end, and I am home again...slightly sunburned around the edges, covered in mosquito bites, and tired. 

Canoeing and kayaking around the lake were definitely my favorite activities of the week.

There are actually two large ponds that are separated by a 'creek' of sorts that runs between them. This can be perhaps a bit tricky for new boaters to navigate even in the day, but some of us counselors decided to go for a midnight boat ride. Thankfully, no one capsized and we only got stuck a couple of times. I also enjoyed swimming (such a relief as it was sooo hot and muggy) and jumping on the trampoline in the water.

One of the quotes from the messages that I keep coming back to think about: "God will be as close and as real to you as you let him be." -Bro. Rufus Edmisten

The sermons from the week should soon be posted here. I think I will put them on my iPod to listen to again...each one is packed with so much truth.

I love beautiful summer nights like this one. There's a sliver of a moon hanging just outside my window. Hundreds of fireflies congregate among the shadows, suspended through the trees, quietly and solemnly blinking their messages. A few chirping crickets, the far-off wail of a train - its very peaceful and still.

The weather in Francistown was around 32 degrees today. It is hard for me to imagine that place cool at all, since it was so hot the entire time we were there. Of course, when we go back in a couple months it will be at the start of their summer again. But if you're thinking of visiting and afraid you won't be able to stand the heat (you know who you are), maybe next June and July would be a good time to think about coming? Just a thought...

My favorite thing about June...

Although my birthday is a pretty close runner-up. :)

"And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with summer."

-F. Scott Fitzgerald

The beginning of this week, it was cold and gloomy. I do love gray days...

But it hit me last night - as I cruised along in my convertible with top down, honeysuckle heavy on the air, crickets chorusing, milkshake by my side :) - that summer is now here. And it's shaping up to be a wonderful summer at that! So I guess I do love summer too.